Driving stoned bill clears 1st Colo. hurdle

DENVER (AP) - Marijuana driving limits have won unanimous approval in a Colorado legislative committee, with lawmakers of both parties saying voters who wanted pot to be treated like alcohol should accept new blood limits for drivers.

The stoned-driving bill cleared the House Judiciary Committee 11-0 after more than five hours of debate Tuesday. Lawmakers debated the best way to tell whether a driver is too stoned to be behind the wheel. After testimony from law enforcement and a toxicologist, House members agreed drivers are too stoned if their blood contains more than 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

After one more committee vote in the House, the marijuana driving bill heads to the full chamber. The House has already agreed to driving limits, leaving the bigger test in the Senate, where stoned-driving bills have failed in the past.